Compensating direct-acting engine.



No. 823,694. PATENTED JUNE 19, 1906. v F. F. NICKEL.

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l m/hwooea I PATENTED JUNE 19, 190 I F. .F. NIGIKEL. GOMPBNSATING DIRECT ACTING ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26,1905.

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..1 n m. m 3 m M w z "U ITED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

FRANZ F. NICKEL,v OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY R. WORTHINGTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- TION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMPENSATING DIRECT-ACTING ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1906.

Application filed. August 26, 1906. Serial No. 275,858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANZ F. NIoKEL, a

' Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Compensating Direct-Acting Engines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates generally to that class of direct-acting engines which are provided with one or more compensating or auxiliary cylinders and pistons supplied with a suitable motor fluid and arranged to act in opposition to the main piston or pistons during the first part of the stroke of the engine and in conjunction therewith during the last part of the stroke, thereby permitting the admission of the steam to the main cylinder or cylinders to be cut off before the strokeis completed, while maintaining the proper power of the engine. Such compensating direct-acting engines are well known, and different forms are shown and described in various United States Letters Patent. In such compensating direct-acting engines the enfluid to lessen the opposition to the working ressure, and thus increase the effect of the atter, is employed, which is controlled by the .length of the engine-stroke in such a manner as to increase the effective compensating pressure in case the stroke shortens and to decrease the compensating pressure in case the engine-stroke lengthens, so as to bring the engine back to normal length stroke in case the stroke varies therefrom, and thus to maintain a practically constant stroke of the engine.

The invention is especially applicable to compensating engines employing an accumulator between the compensating cylinders and source of compensating pressure, and the invention includes certain combinations lim- .ployed.

ited to such systems but the broader features 1 of the invention may be applied also to enginesin which no such accumulator is em- For a full understanding of the invention a detailed description of a construction embodying all the features of the same'in their preferred formwill now be given in connection with the accompanying drawings, form ing a art of this specification, and the features 'orming the invention will then be specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a vertical pumping-engine of a well-known type embodying the invention,

the accumulator being shown in section. Fig.

2 is a plan view of the devices for regulating the compensating pressure. tical section on the line 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4 of Fig. 1 looking to the right. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail section of the regulating valve and lever looking in the same direction as Fig. 3 and at right angles to Fig. 4.

Referring to said drawings, A is the steamcylinder; B, the pump-cylinder; O, the forcemain; D, the air-chamber on the force-main E, the engine cross-head; F, the compensating cylinders having their pistons connected to the cross-head, and G the accumulator connected on one side of its piston H to the air-chamber D by pipe I and transmitting pressure to the compensating cylinders .F

om its smaller piston K through pipe L.

Fig. 3 is a ver The accumulator 1s shown as of a well-known United States Letters Patent No. 455,935 and No. 628,511, except for the present invention the effective pressure of the piston H being adjusted by admittingair from the working side of the piston H or from a separate supply to the back-pressure tank M, connected by pipe 10 to the back-pressure side of the piston H. As shown, the backpressure.supply is from the working side of the piston H through pipe 11, controlled by a cook 12, so that air may be supplied to the back-pressure side of the piston H through pipe 11, as desired, and the valve 12 then closed.

All the constructions thus far described are old and may be of any other common or suitable form. Referring now to the features i got pipe 13 are as f0 cradle there is mounted a bracket 14, providadded for the embodiment of the present invention, the back-pressure tank M is provided with an escape-pipe 13, which opens to the atmosphere through a valve controlled by the length of stroke of the engine, so that the back pressure on the accumulator-piston will be increased or diminished as the stroke lengthens or shortens, and the enginestroke thus be brought back to normal length in case it lengthens or shortens.

The devices for controlling the escape of air from the back-pressure tank M through lows: Upon the engineing a support for the hinged valve-lever 15, on which moves the weight 16 for adjusting the pressure on the valve 17, which controls the passage 18, connecting the chamber 19, with which pipe 13 connects with chamber 20, openin to the atmosphere through port 1, so that t e pressure at which valve 17 will open passage 18 to connect the backressure tank M with the atmosphere and a low the escape of air to reduce the back pressure on the accumulator-piston H may be regulated by moving the weight 16 on the valve-lever 15. For moving the weight 16 it is connected by side links 21 to one arm of a bell-crank lever 22, the other arm of which hasa pinand-slot connection with a rod 23, which carries a head 24, engaged by an adjustable tappet 25, mounted on the engine cross-head E. Spring 26 on the rod 23 returns the rod to osition on the reversal of the cross-head a ter the rod has been moved by contact of the tappet 25 with head 24. The weight 16 is adjustable on the links 21 to vary the normal operation of the compensating cylinders by e series of holes, through any of which the links may be bolted to the weight 16.

To secure the slow return of the rod 23 after it has been moved by the ta pet 25, while permitting it to be moved quick ly by the tappet, the rod 23 carries a piston 27, moving in an oil cataract-cylinder 28, the two ends of which are connected on one side by passage 29 and ports opening to the cylinder, the upper port of which is controlled by springpressed check-valve 2 and on the opposite side by passage 30 and ports opening to the cylinder, the lower port of which is controlled by an adjustable needle-valve 3, so that the check-valve 2 opens when the piston 27, with rod 23, is ushed up by the cross-head tappet and lets t e oil flow quickly to the other side understood from a brief description in con- .nection with the drawings.

The weight 16 will be adjusted on the lever 15 and the links 21 for the pressure required. under normal running conditions, and the tappet 25 on the engine cross-head will be adjusted so that it will strike the head 24 on rod 23 at the end of each engine-stroke of normal length if the rod 23 has then been returned by spring 26, so as to bring the head 24 within reach of the tappet 25. The rod 23 and connected weight 16 on lever 15 are thus kept in such position by the engine while at normal length stroke that the valve 17 will be opened to permit air to be blown off from the back- )ressure tank M through ipe 13 only in case leakage past the piston from the working side to the backpressure side increases the back pressurebeyond that required for the desired stroke of the engine under normal conditions and for which the weight 16 and tappet 25 have been adjusted. If now the engine-stroke lengthens, the ta pet 25, by engagement with the head 24, wi 1 move the rod 23 farther than in a normal len th stroke, which through the lever 22 and links 21 will move the weight 16 outward on the lever 15, so as to increase the pressure on the valve 17, the result being to increase the pressure at which the valve 17 will be opened and air blown off from the back-pressure tank M. The pressure in the back-pressure tank will then be increased gradually by leakage past the piston H from the working side and t 1e pressure in the comensating cylinders gradually reduced to bring the engine back to normal length stroke, the rod 23 being slowly returned to normal position by spring 26, so as to return the weight 16 to normal position at the rate determined by the adjustment of needlevalve 3 to retard the return movement of the piston 27. The tappet 25 will continue to shift the weight 16 outward on the lever 15, so as to increase above the normal the pressure at which the valve 17 will be opened as often as the spring 26 returns the rod 23 and until the normal stroke and operation of the device is resumed. If the stroke of the engine shortens, the head 24 will not be struck by the tappet 25 and the rod 23 will be moved beyond its normal position by the spring 26, and the weight 16 thus shifted inward on the lever 15, so as to reduce the closing pressure on the valve 17 below the normal, with the result that the valve will open against this reduced pressure on the lever, and air thus be blown ofi from the back-pressure tank M to reduce the pressure on the back-pressure side of the piston H, the pressure in the accumulating cylinders F thus being increased, which will bring the engine back to normal length stroke, when the tappet 25 will again engage the head 24, return the rod 23 and the weight 16, and the normal operation of the devices be resumed.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the particular arrangement or construction of engine and com- I ensating system shown nor the particular orm of the devices illustrated for embodying the invention, but that the invention as defined by the claims may be embodied in constructions of widely different form.

WhatIclaimis- 1. In a com ensating direct-acting engine, the combination with a compensating system including one or more compensating cylinders and their pistons, of a valve actuated by pressure in the compensating system to control the compensating pressure, and means controlled by the length of the enginestroke for varying the resistance to movement of said valve to vary the compensating pressure.

2. In a compensating direct-actingengine, the combination with a compensating system including one or more compensating cylinders and their pistons and means for applying fluid in opposition to the working pressure to adjust the compensating pressure, of a valve 0 ened by the opposing pressure to permit t e escape of o posing fluid, and means. controlled by the ength of the engine-stroke for varyin the resistance to the opening movement 0 said valve to vary the compensating pressure.

3. In a compensating direct-acting engine, the combinatlon with a compensating system including one or more compensating cylinders and their pistons and an accumulator through which the compensating pres' sure is derived, of a valve actuated by pressure in the compensating system to control the accumulator pressure, and means con,

trolled by the length of the engine-stroke for varying the resistance to movement of said valve to vary the compensatingpressure.

, 4. In acompensating direct-acting engine, the combinatlon with a compensating system including one or more compensating cylinders andtheir pistons and an accumulator through which thecompensating pressure is derived, and a back-pressure system for applying fluid to the accumulator-piston in opposition to the working pressure, of an escape-valve on the back-pressure system, and means controlled by the length of the engine-stroke for varying the resistance to opening said valve to vary the compensating pressure.

5. In a compensating direct-acting engine,

the combination with a compensating system including one or more compensating cylinders and their pistons, of a weighted valve actuated by the pressure in the compensating system to control the compensating pressure, means actuated by the enginepiston for shifting said weight to vary the pressure on the valve, and means for slowly returning the weight when shifted by the engine.

6. In a compensating direct-acting engine, the combination with a compensating system including one or more compensating cylinders and. their pistons,'of a Weighted valve actuated by the pressure in the :compensating system to control the compensate ing pressure, means actuated by the enginepiston for shifting said weight to vary. the pressure on the valve, a spring for returning the weight, and retarding devices for securing a slow return movement of the weight.

7. In a compensating direct-acting engine, the combination with a compensating system including one or more compensating cylinders and their pistons, of a Weighted valve actuated by the pressure in the compensating system to control the compensat- 1ng pressure, means actuated by the enginepistonfor shifting said weight to vary the pressure'on the valve, a spring for returning the weight, a fluid-cylinder having its piston connected to said weight and moved in opposite directions by the engine-piston and the spring, and connections permitting a free circulation of fluid between the opposite ends of the cylinder when the piston is moved by the engine and retarding the circulation when the piston is moved by the spring.

8. The combination with a direct-acting engine and its compensatingsystem, of devices ior controlling the compensating pressure including a valve, a pressure device acting on said valve, means actuated bythe engine-piston for actuating the pressure device to vary the pressure when the length of the engine-stroke is increased, and means for returning the pressure device to normal position.

engine and its compensating system, of devices for controlling the compensating pressure including a valve, a pressure device acting on said valve, means actuated by the engine-piston for actuating the pressure device to vary the pressure when the length of the engine-stroke is increased, and means for returning the pressure device to normal posia slow return movement.

10. The combination with a direct-acting engine and its com ensating system, of an escape-valve opene by pfessure in the system, a'weight-lever and s 'ftable weight controlling said valve, a rod and connections for shifting said weight, a tappet moved by the engine-piston for shifting said rod, a spring for returning the rod, and a cataract-cylinder having a piston connected to said rod and arranged to retard the return movement of the rod.

11. The combination with a directacting ing an accumulator and back-pressure system for adjusting the accumulator pressure, of an escape-valve on the back-pressure system, a weight-lever and shiftable weight controlling said valve, a rod and connections for 9. The combination with a direct-acting tion, including retarding devices for securing.

engine and its compensating system, includ shifting said Weight, a tappet moved by the my hand in the presence of two subscribing engine-piston for shifting said rod, a spring Witnesses. for returning the rod, and a cataract-cylinder having a piston connected to said rod and ar- FRANZ NICKEL ranged to retard the return movement of the Witnesses:

rod. T. F. KEI-roE,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set PHILIP N. TILDEN. 

